


haunted

by oh_captain



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Car Accidents, Character Death, Cussing, Depression, Derek Dies, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Fluff, Future Fic, Graphic Description of Injuries, Grief/Mourning, Hermit Stiles Stilinski, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Stiles, I AM SORRY, M/M, Permanent Injury, Sad Ending, This is really sad, sad fic, shut down from society
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:37:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_captain/pseuds/oh_captain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He saw the blank walls of his new apartment and felt the crushing weight return to his chest. He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight shut. </p><p>Derek was gone, he reminded himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	haunted

Stiles grinned as he looked to Derek. Derek rolled his eyes, fighting a smile. 

The cake in front of them sat with words written in red frosting on a chocolate frosted cake. ‘Happy Birthday Sourwolf’ and Derek had smeared his finger across the sourwolf and licked it. 

So far, Derek hadn’t stopped smiling. He couldn’t, not with Stiles there, holding his hand through this day. It had been a good day too, at that.

Derek leaned over to grab Stiles mouth with his own, and Stiles let a little laugh fall between them as the chocolate smeared onto Stiles lips.

Derek was sure to get it all up, though. His reward was Stiles wrapping his arms around his neck and forgetting the birthday cake for just those few moments.

 

 ***

 

Stiles woke up and patted the cold space of mattress next to him. His face furled into a frown and he peeked an eye. He saw the blank walls of his new apartment and felt the crushing weight return to his chest. 

He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight shut. Derek was gone, Stiles reminded himself. 

Just like he had to do every morning.

He turned back to the pillow under his head, gasping harshly. It hurt, just like it had yesterday and the day before that and the day before that and Stiles could go on, but there wasn't a point.

He was just trying to not feel so alone, so empty, even as his hands tangled into the sheets around him.

He breathed in deeply a few more times before sitting up, and reaching for his medication. There was a long day ahead of him.

 

 ***

 

Stiles grinned at Derek, leaning into the others side. There were college application forms spread around them, and five acceptances scattered in the mess. They were trying to organize, but... they got distracted.

"Come on," Derek urged Stiles, bumping his shoulder into Stiles.

"No!" Stiles groaned halfheartedly. He pouted over to Derek, dramatic, and stubborn.

Derek leaned over and kissed Stiles. “Come on, we have to go.” he encouraged against Stiles skin.

"But it’s awkward!" Stiles complained, meeting Derek's blue green eyes up close.

"And, it’s going to continue being awkward if we skip. Lydia and Scott just want the pack to seem close," Derek drew back, giving Stiles the raised eyebrow of doom.

"But it’s so awkward." Stiles fell back, papers crinkling under him. He stared hopelessly up at Derek from his new place on the floor.

Derek chuckled. “Come on,” He murmured.

Stiles looked to Derek, meeting his eyes again. Weighing what Derek was saying with the facts provided, no doubt.

The stare lasted for awhile, but ended with Stiles groaning out complaints and swear words. He started standing, managing to get his lower half up, hands barely leaving the floor before Derek pulled him down to kiss him. 

"Thank you," He murmured, grateful.

 

 ***

 

Stiles sat down in his Art class. He couldn’t do this for much longer. He couldn’t keep living like Derek was going to walk in and keep him under the sheets all day instead, making dry jokes that made Stiles feel right at home. 

There wasn't anymore pizza nights, or randomly baked brownies. There wasn't anymore random trips to Walmart, just to pick out dumb B movies. There was no reason to smile, or laugh, or do anything but wake up, go to school, do the work, go home. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

Derek wasn’t coming back. Ever.

 

 ***

 

Derek smiled at Stiles. “Come on, we’re going to be late,” He ushered him towards the front door.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “It’s only graduation Derek,” He grumbled, feet dragging.

Derek kissed him, hard and quick. At the same time, he pinched Stiles in the stomach, making the human jerk back and yelp in pain.

Stiles scathing glare only got a teasing smile back before the younger was being rushed again.

"Did I mention that I’m very proud you managed to get through school without getting killed because of supernatural crap? Because I am. If you would please, scoot your cute ass out the door and into the car, I'd be really proud of that too," Derek opened the front door, grabbing both their jackets impatiently. 

Stiles laughed and walked out.

 

 ***

 

It was raining.

Stiles was in a cafe with some of his peers, discussing a group project. Outside, fat rain drops started to fall. He hated the rain.

"Stiles?" Katie asked.

Stiles tore his eyes away from the big black clouds outside, from memories of rain falling on twisted metal, with the stench of gas and the metallic tang in the air, and the snarling sound from the trapped beta in the driver side.

"Yeah?" Stiles asked a little brokenly. He hated the rain.

He wanted his bed, with his many locks on the door to keep him safe. His warm comfort of silence and misery. Where he could take one too many pain pills and sleep while his wrist bone beat with the sound of water pellets hitting the window and his knee stopped constantly aching.

"Are you okay?" Katie asked, hand hovering just over his shoulder.

"Solitaire Stiles," Caleb coughed. He giggled as well as two other across from him.

Katie hit his arm and he gave her a look. 

"What?" He demanded, affronted.

"That’s not nice, Caleb," Jason grumbled to his friend, one of the others who hadn't laughed.

"Well, it’s true," Caleb snapped, glaring at Stiles. 

Stiles felt sick. His wrist hurt, his knee throbbed, his stomach rolled and he was utterly alone. “It’s fine, sorry, I’ll go,” He managed a weak smile, standing from his chair and making halted movements towards the exit.

"I’ll walk you home!" Katie volunteered, shooting daggers at Caleb. The other just flipped her the bird, grumblkng about how they weren't needed anyway.

"That’s nice of you, but these are your friends," Stiles started, waving his uninjured wrist. Technically, they were both healed, but the bone throbbed everyday. Worse on days it rained. And the same could be said for the kneecap they'd had to replace. He got a special card that explained why metal detectors went off on him as well.

"Stiles," She shifted her glare from Caleb to him.

And he saw Derek there. Wanting to do the right thing, not taking no unless for a good reason, caring even when there was no point. It hurt, like an ache threatening to show on everything he owned. On everything he was.

"Okay," he agreed weakly. 

 

 ***

 

In the car, Stiles fidgeted with the radio until Derek made a noise. Stiles looked to him, almost alarmed at the sudden, unexpected grunt.

"What?" He asked, fingers hovering over the volume control.

"It’s going to rain," Derek grumbled, eyes on the road.

Stiles raised a brow. “Do you have old man bones?” 

Derek snorted and rolled his eyes, smile splayed on his face. Old man Derek was a funny thought.

Stiles watched, amazed as not five minutes later, rain drops started falling onto the windshield and the roads around them.

"Huh," He said after it started with a heavy pour. 

"Told you," Derek grinned, proud of himself. He flicked the windshield wipers on full blast, hoping they made it in time for good parking.

Stiles leaned across the console, and kissed him quickly. Felt the up turn of Derek's smile under his lips.

And they collided with on coming traffic.

 

 ***

 

Stiles left Katie by the door as he went in and came back with an umbrella for her. He didn't know what else to really give her besides the ugly thing. He couldn't remember if he or Derek bought it, but it didn't really matter now anyway, he supposed.

"Uh," He paused, thinking of what to say for a moment. "Be safe," He decided.

"You too," She smiled sweetly, hesitant. 

"I’m sorry that… you all got stuck with me on this. I’ll pitch in, I swear," Stiles said, looking everywhere but at her. He felt guilty for even having to say he would help. He should have just helped.

She watched him for a minute, before nodding, opening the umbrella and walking away into the storm.

 

 ***

 

Stiles woke up to the twisted metal, water droplets dripping onto him. He couldn’t feel much, just a numbness in everything. A painful numbness. 

Derek was thrashing beside him, he realized as he looked over. His head was spinning and noise wasn't breaking past the filter in his ears. But it came back sharply, with a piercing ring to accompany, the sound making Stiles whimper. 

He squeezed his eyes closed before looking back at Derek.

"Stiles!" Derek called, voice weak. Trying to get the human's attention. "Stiles!"

Stiles made another weak, whimpering noise. “Derek,” He whispered. He felt like he'd been punched, or body slammed. Or crashed.

"I’ve… I’m not going to make it," Derek murmured, hand reaching out and Stiles eye seeing it. He went to grab it, but found that his arm was a mangled mess glass embedded in it and ripped, bone showing in places bone should not be showing. 

The horror of it made the sudden pain there almost agonizing. He couldn't be sure if he could even feel his fingertips. It made him look at the rest of what he could see. His knee was awkward and smashed. He tried not to scream as he tried to move his leg into a better position to no avail. 

Instead, Stiles forced his bloody hand to take Derek’s, almost sobbing from the pure pain filtering in through his haze.

"What do you mean?" Stiles croaked, after finding his bearings. "You’ll be fine," He tried to turn his head to see Derek more, but it just made the pounding worse.

Derek let out a weak sound. “No, Stiles,” He whispered.

"You’re a filthy liar. You’re a motherfucking werewolf, you’ll be fine," Stiles bit out, feeling pieces (glass or metal, there was no telling) embedded in him. His arms, his side, his legs.

"I love you," Derek managed, wheezing. "I love you so much," He squeezed lightly onto Stiles broken hand before the grip loosened all together.

"Derek," Stiles whispered, turning to look at him despite the wave of naseau. Derek was taking very shallow breathes. The steering wheel was in his chest. "I love you too."

Derek’s lips twitched into a smile before his everything stopped.

 

 ***

 

Stiles looked to Katie as he walked into the class room. She held out the ugly umbrella to him. Derek's name was on the handle, answering his question.

He took it gently, and glanced to her. She was smiling and he felt the urge to give her a small smile. Even though it kind of hurt his heart to do. 

She returned it with one that reminded him of the sun. She had all the encouragement she needed from that small gesture.

"Katie!" Caleb snapped from his seat in the lecture hall. 

"Coming," She said, waving bye to Stiles as she left.

 

 ***

 

The ‘road to recovery’ was a long one, according to the doctors. The physical damage on his wrist meant relearning how to use the entire hand. The glass and metal they'd managed to remove from him meant some deep wounds, and careful movement until they sealed up. The broken knee he had suffered meant physical therapy for that as well.

But it wasn’t long at all. His arms scarred over, like everything else, and Stiles finished physical therapy just in time to start college, even though walking was a pain and he refused to use the cane the doctor gave him.

He even got a doctor that signed pain killers off to him any time he mentioned the lingering joint pain, so there was that plus.

And when Scott texted, asking where he was, he changed his number, telling his dad he was safe and that was it. Ending all connection.

Not telling Scott which college he had picked just yet seemed to work in his favor. He was sure Scott would get him eventually, but not for a while. 

Stiles couldn’t face them. Couldn't face his old life without Derek. Couldn't face himself.

 

 ***

 

"Wow, this actually looks good," Caleb muttered as he looked through Stiles packet he’d done for the group. Stiles hadn't really asked, just slapped their names on it and hoped they didn't mind he did it.

Stiles shrugged and played with the fabric of his hoodie cuff. He wouldn't take praise for this. He was supposed to do this work.

"Do you owe someone an apology?" Katie snapped at Caleb. Made Jason crack a smile.

Caleb looked to Stiles, squinty eyed and accessing. “I’m sorry,” He rolled his eyes, finally saying it right as Katie raised her hand to smack him.

Caleb reminded Stiles of Jackson.

Stiles lifted a brow, looking up from his cuff to Caleb. Watched him scowl before knocking the table twice with his good hand. As if to call the obnoxious boys attention before he spoke.

"Wow, that didn’t kill you, I’m surprised," Stiles smiled wanly.

With that, he walked away.

 

 ***

 

Stiles woke up and patted the cold space of mattress next to him. His face furled into a frown and he peeked an eye. He saw the blank walls of his new apartment and felt the crushing weight return to his chest. 

He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight shut. Derek was gone, Stiles reminded himself. 

Just like he had to do every morning.

He turned back to the pillow under his head, gasping harshly. It hurt, just like it had yesterday and the day before that and the day before that and Stiles could go on, but there wasn't a point.

He was just trying to not feel so alone, so empty, even as his hands tangled into the sheets around him.

He breathed in deeply a few more times before sitting up, and reaching for his medication. There was a long day ahead of him.


End file.
